It's been a month since I travelled to Singapore. It took me 7 years to go out of the country again, and 15 years prior to that. So, I haven't been traveling as much as I would really want to, but I aim to change that. Enough about that, and let me share some things you need to know when going to Singapore. A few tips here and there, which should help you save a bit on travel in a country regarded as one of the most expensive in the region.
Let me list them in no particular order, so here goes:
1.) Always have a water bottle handy. Singapore's tap water is potable and they have a lot of water fountains are available in many locations around the country. Most, if not all of Singapore's attractions entail a bit of walking and with temperatures ranging from 31-35 degrees Celsius [88-95 degrees Fahrenheit] on a daily basis, you can expect to work up a sweat every now and then. Bottled water costs somewhere between 1-2 SGD [per 1-1.5L bottle], and those costs add up as you go along. What I noticed is that they position these water fountains near comfort rooms.
2.) Eat like a local and find the local food center or hawker stall. They are fairly easy to find in most places, and you could save a lot of money compared to eating at restaurants on a daily basis. Food centers can be easily located, and simply put, is a food court for most hawker offerings. Restaurants and most fast food chains normally charge around 6-12 SGD per meal [this does not cover fancy restos which may charge a bit more], while you can find hawker stall meals ranging from 2-5 SGD. I would probably need to write about this even more on a separate post.
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| These two meals for a total of 8.50 SGD. Great value! |
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| A hawker stall in Little India |
3.) If travelling as a backpacker, you should consider living in a hostel. Singapore has a lot of hostels, inns, or dorms which are a fraction of the
price of regular hotels. A hotel costs somewhere between S$100-200, maybe even more, while a hostel costs around 30-50 SGD a night. As a tourist, your main aim is not to stay at hotels the entire day. They are mainly places for you to a.) keep your things b.) sleep c.) take a bath, and prepare for your next adventure.
However, it may not be for everyone because a.) you share a room with x number of guests, which depending on the situation can either be really good roommates, or can be really obnoxious. b.) some people just want their privacy, which is perfectly understandable.
4.) Buy tickets to attractions in advance. The worst thing you can do would be to buy your tickets on the venue itself, which would cost you the full price, compared as to, say, buying them at the airport [there are many Changi Recommends stalls around the airport], at the hotel where you're staying [The place where we stayed, Bunc@Radius offers tickets for Universal Studios, River Safari and other places to go to], and a lot of websites sell ticket packages for a much lower price than face value. Let me give an example:
Changi Recommends sold us a package for three attractions for $73:
River Safari with Boat Ride - $28 per head [adult] and $5 Boat Ride
Gardens by the Bay [Cloud Forest / Flower Dome] - $28
S.E.A. Aquarium - $32
Total = S$93
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| Three attractions bought at a discount for Singapore |
I saved roughly 20 SGD by buying them beforehand. I've seen offers for Universal Studios for around S$65 [compared to S$75 when buying it on the venue itself]. Virtually any attraction in Singapore is offered at a discount if you search for it and plan for it prior to getting there.
Do you have other tips, and suggestions for a fruitful, yet budget saving trip? I'd love to hear about them and if there are a lot, I'd write a part 2 to cover those as well.
